It’s official: more women are planning home births attended by midwives — 20% more — according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “One mother chose home birth because it was cheaper than going to a hospital. Another gave birth at home because she has multiple sclerosis and feared unnecessary medical intervention. And some choose home births after cesarean sections with their first babies,” reports the Associated Press. Physician groups are still opposed, but individual obstetricians are speaking out: “Dr. Joel Evans, the rare board-certified OB-GYN who supports home birth, said the medical establishment has become ‘resistant to change, resistant to dialogue, resistant to flexibility.’”

Update: Check out The Week‘s five theories for the trend, including, “Women are taking charge!”